Police in Bialystok detained a 24-year-old Polish citizen and a 36-year-old Belarusian citizen. They are accused of smuggling cigarettes from Belarus to Poland using weather balloons.
According to police, the detainees operated as part of a criminal group and made it a постоянным source of income. They participated in purchasing both the balloons and the cigarettes. They also collected the cigarettes after they landed on the Polish side and transported them to storage sites for later resale, the Podlaskie Voivodeship police said.
Police seized more than 7,500 packs of cigarettes of various brands stored in a garage, a car and at the home of one of the detainees. More than 20,000 zlotys and $20,000 were also seized.
The men have been charged with a total of eight offenses. They face up to eight years in prison.
